Switch



March 18, 1941. J MURPHY 2,235,773

SWITCH Filed Jan. 24, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inven-io 2" 1162mm J. Nanak/y.

March 18, 1941.

H. J. MURPHY ,235,773

SWITCH Filed Jan. 24, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M nnnn [1011M March 18, 1941 H MURPHY 2235.773

SWITCH Filed Jan. 24, 1939- 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 F .15. El 4% '9 3 Inveni'or: Howard elZYU? 729,

a ZUZZLW Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCH Application January 24, 1939, Serial No. 252,569

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in switches and refers more particularly to pushand-puil operative switches for automobiles and the like. The invention further relates to an improved method of assembling the par-ts of a switch and also to an improved method for securing the switch to a supporting panel.

The main object of my invention is an improved switch broadly similar to the switch illustrated and described in connection with my copending United States application Serial No. 215,795, 'flled June 25, 1938, but providing certain improvements over the switch of the aforesaid application enabling the switch to be quiclflly and 1 easily attached to a supporting structure.

Other objects and uses of my invention will be apparent from inspection of the drawings and specification hereinbelow set forth,

Referring to the drawings, in which I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention- Fig. 1 is a front plan view of a switch embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the installation shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2 showing a preferred method of securing the switch to a supporting structure;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an end view of my improved switch looking from the left of Fig. 1 and showing contact terminals assembled therewith;

Fig. 6 is a side view of a contact terminal used in connection with my improved switch;

Fig. 7 is a side view of a terminal-supporting member used in connection with my improved switch;

' Fig. 8 is a view of a preferred form of housing prior to asembly of other parts of my improved switch therewith;

Fig. 9 is an end view of the housing shown in Fig. Blocking from the left of Fig. 8;

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are front views of my improved switch with a portion of one side thereof cut away and showing successive steps in the method of assembling parts of my improved switch with the housing;

Fig. 13 is a front plan view of my improved switch with a portion of one of the walls thereof cut away showing the method by which this switch is secured to a supporting panel;

Fig. 14 is an end view of the installation shown in Fig. 13 looking from the right of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a bottom plan view of th spring supporting member forming a part of my improved switch with a spring member and insulating strip assembled therewith;

Fig. 16 is an end view of the part shown in Fig. 15; 5

Fig. 17 is a bottom plan view of the reciprocable contact carrier used in the construction of my improved switch Fig. 18 is a top plan view of the part shown in Fig. 17; 10 Fig. 19 is a side view of the clip-like fastener member used in the construction of my improved switch; and

Fig. 20 is a rear view of the fastener member shown in Fig, 19. 15 Referring in detail to the construction of my improved switch as set out in the various figures, I have shown a hollow switch housing I. The housing I is elongated in form and, in my preferred form, has a rectangular cross-sec- 20 tional outline. The housing I is formed of a frame member which is preferably stamped from a single piece of sheet metal and has an end plate 2 having an opening 3 therein (Figs. 3 and 9) and side walls 4 and 5 extend-ing from the end 25 2 in spaced parallel relation. The side wall 5 preferably has openings 5" therein (Figs. 3 and 4) disposed adjacent opposite ends for a purpose to be described. The side walls 4 and 5 form one pair of opposed sides of the housing and 30 opposed dielectric plates 8 and I form another pair of sides. The dielectric plates are secured to the metal frame member through means of lugs 8 projecting from the edges of the side walls 4 and 5 and clamped over the outer surfaces of 35 the dielectric plates. Thus the dielectric plates 6 and 1, together with the end 2 and the side walls 4 and 5, effect the entire housing of the switch except for the end 2 of the switch opposed to the end plate 2 which is open prior to 6 complete assembly of the parts of the switch (Figs. 8 and 9) and which is hereinafter referred to in the specification and claims as the end having the relatively large opening, or the open end. A nut member 9 is preferably affixed ad- 45 jacent the outer surface of the end plate 2, as by spot-welding (Fig. 3). The nut member 9 has an internally-threaded opening l0 (Fig. 3) therein in alignment with the opening 3 of the end plate 2. The switch is secured to a supporting 50 panel I i by means of a bushing having a flange l2 engaging an outer surface H of the supporting panel II and an externally-threaded shank I3 extended through an opening IA of the supporting panel into threaded engagement with the 55 opening I of the nut member 9 (Fig. 3). The

. periphery of the flange portion i2 of the bushing is preferably circular in form in my preferred construction and the bushing has a bore 15 extending therethrough for a purpose to be described. The bore I5 is of non-circular shape and is adapted to receive a tool at the end adjacent the flange 2 for turning the bushing into engagement with the nut member.

Mounted on the outer surface of the dielectric plates 6 and l are a plurality of contact terminals l8 (Fig. 5) which, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5, are similar in form to the contact terminals illustrated and described in connection with my above-mentioned United States application Serial No. 215,795. Each of the contact terminals [8 receives the live ends of a lead 09 and provides a contact means 29 (Fig. 6) which projects from its under side and, when the terminal is assembled with the switch housing, extends through the insulating plates 9 and l to dispose its outermost free end within the housing 2. The contact means 26 are adapted for electrical engagement with contact members 2! (Fig. 12) carried by a contact carrier 22 which is reciprocably mounted within the housing 2.

Terminal-supporting members 23, similar in form to the members illustrated and described in my above-mentioned co-pending application, are detachably mounted upon the dielectric plates 6 and 1. Each of the terminal-supporting members 23 has contractible and expansible leg portions 24 providing upwardly-facing shoulders 25 (Fig. '7). The dielectric plates 6 and l have pairs of slots 26-23 (Figs. 8, l0 and 11) for receiving the respective pairs of legs 25-24 whereby the terminal-supporting members are secured to the insulating plates 6 and I through engagement of the shoulders 25 of the legs 24 bemj hind the respective dielectric plate. Each of the terminal-supporting members 23 has a spring terminal-engaging arm 2'! engaging the terminal contacts I8 to hold the same under constant spring tension whereby the contact portions 23 of the terminals are raised against the action of the spring 21 during engagement with the respective contact member 2! of the carrier member 22.

It will be understood that any number of terminal contacts l8, together with respective terminal-supporting members 23, may be secured to the dielectric plates 6 and I in any desired relationship to each other and to the contact member, or members, 2|, but in my preferred form. as indicated by the terminal-supporting member 23 of Figs. 1 and 2, I have chosen to provide three on the plate 6 and five on the plate 7. Furthermore, although I have chosen to illustrate in Fig. 5 only the terminal contacts l8 assembled with the switch housing, it will be understood that when the parts of the switch are finally assembled together, a terminal contact will be assembled with each of the terminal-supporting members 23 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and maintained by the respective terminal-supporting members in assembly with the switch for electrical engagement with the contacts carried by the reciprocating contact carrier 22.

A metal carrier-supporting member 28 is disposed within the switch housing as shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12 and serves also to carry a spring 29 having a projecting loop portion 30 for fastener engagement with cooperating indentations 30* (Figs. 17 and 18) provided by the contact carrier 22 providing stops at diflerent positions of the reciprocable motion of the contact carrier. The carrier-supporting member 23 has a plate portion 3! which is spaced. from the side 5 of the frame by integral angularly-extending legs 32 having reduced portions 33 extending into openings 5. in the wall 3 for holding the part in proper relative position. The spring member 29 is assembled with the plate 3i through means of free end portions 33 extending through apertures in the plate portion and an insulating strip 35 for securing the strip to the supporting member 28. The strip 35, in my preferred installation, is disposed beneath the plate portion and serves to insulate the terminal-supporting members 23 from the carrier-supporting member 23.

The contact carrier 22 carries the contact members 2! for cooperation with proper contacts 29 at different on positions of the reciprocal motion of the carrier. The particular construction of the contact carrier 22 forms no part of my present invention and therefore will not be described in detail, it being sumcient to say that it comprises a metal frame providing a base 36 having a plurality of slots 39 therein for receiving the projecting portion 30 of the spring 29 and an actuating shaft 38 formed as a continuation of the base 36. The actuating shaft in my assembled switch extends through the opening 3 of the end plate 2 of the switch housing and the opening ii! of the nut member 9, as most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Spaced side walls 39 (Fig. 18) extend upwardly from the base 36 and the contact members 2i are carried by the sides 39-39 and insulated therefrom by means of the insulating plates 43. The insulating plates 43 are supported along their lowermost edges by the plate portion 3! of the supporting member 28, as most clearly shown in Fig. 12. outwardlyextending flanges M at the ends of the sides 39-39 limit movement of the insulating plates 43 axially of the carrier 22 and the side portion 4 and the plate portion 3| cooperate to limit movement of the plates 40 transversely of the axis of the carrier. Pressure of the contact means 20 against the plates 40 forces them against the respective sides 39-39 when the carrier is in final assembly within the switch housing.

A clip-like fastener member, generally indicated by the numeral 42, is provided at the open end 2 of the switch housing and provides means normally serving to limit reciprocable move ment of the contact carrier 22 within the housing. The clip member in my preferred form comprises a base portion 43 and yieldable spring legs 44 and 45 extending in angular relation to the base portion 43 in spaced relation one to another for detachable fastener engagement with the side portions 4 and 5 of the housing 2. Each of the legs 44 and 45 has a lug portion 46 pressed therefrom near its free end for cooperating snap fastener engagement with recesses 46 formed in the side portions 4 and 5, as most clearly shown in Fig. 4. The base portion 43 disposed adjacent the open end of the housing has a plate portion 41 disposed opposite the carrier-supporting member 28 (Fig. 4) when the parts of the switch are in final assembly for limiting movement of the carrier-supporting member through the open end. The base portion also has an opening 48 disposed opposite the contact carrier 22 (Fig. 4) when the parts of the switch are in final assembly and adapted o receive the contact carrier during attachment of the switch to the support in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described. A spring arm 48 is integrally joined to the yieldable leg 44 and formed of material taken from within the peripheral edges of the fastener member. The spring arm 49 has an attaching portion 50 integrally joined to the leg 44 and normally disposed within the plane of the leg. The attaching portion 50 is rendered resilient through means of slots 5I5l (Figs. 2 and 20), which define the side edges of the same, extending from the opening 48 to a position spaced from the free end of the leg 44. A stop portion 52 (Figs. 4, 5 and 13) extends in angular relation to the attaching portion 58 at the end thereof opposite the end integrally joined to the leg 44. The stop portion 52 is normally disposed within the opening 48 of the base in opposite relation to. the contact carrier 22 when the parts of the switch are in final assembly and serves to limit normally passage of the contact carrier through the opening 48. A lip portion 53 projects from the stop portion 52 and provides operating means for lifting the spring arm against its spring tension for moving the stop portion 52 out of opposite relation to the contact carrier 22 so as to permit passage of the contact carrier through the opening 48 for the purpose to be described.

Another feature of my invention is directed to the easy method by which certain parts of the switch can be easily and quickly assembled to gether without the use of tools. Thus, having reference to Figs. 8-12 of the drawings, Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate my preferred form of switch housing i before assembly with other parts of the switch therewith. It will be seen from inspection of Figs. 8 and 9 that the housing i prior to assembly of the other parts of the switch therewith comprises only the metal side portions 4 and 5, the insulating side portions 6 and l, and the end plate 2 at one end of the housing. The opposite end 2 from the end plate 2 is open so that the carrier-supporting member 28 and the contact carrier 22 may be moved therethrough into the interior of the housing. I have chosen to illustrate the housing in Fig. 8 with the nut member 5 spot-welded to the end plate 2 thereof, but it is apparent that the nut member has no direct relation to the method of assembling the parts of the switch as it may be secured to the housing I at any time if its use is desired and so may be disregarded in this particular connection. Furthermore, although I have shown the housing having the insulating plates 6 and 1 clamped to the side portions 4 and 5 through means of the lugs 8, I do not wish to be limited by this particular form of housing as a type of housing may be used such as that illustrated and described in connection with my above-mentioned co-pending application. In Fig. 10 I have shown the first step in the assembly of the parts of the switch which is to dispose the carrier-supporting member 28 within the housing so as to position the reduced portions 33 at the outer ends of the legs 32 within the openings 5**-.'i in the side portion 5, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3. The carrier-supporting member 28 is moved into the housing through the open end 2 thereof. Next the contact carrier 22 is moved into the switch housing, as shown in Fig. 11, through the open end 2 until it is completely disposed within the housing except for the free end 38 of the actuating shaft 38 which extends through the opening 3 of the end plate 2, as shown in Fig. 12. Next the clip-like fastener member 42 is moved adjacent the open end 2 of the housing with the plate portion 41 disposed opposite the carrier-supporting member 28 and the aperture 48 disposed substantially opposite the contact carrier 22. The fastener member 42 is detachably secured to the housing by 5 cooperating snap fastener engagement of the projections 46 of the legs 44 and 45 with the openings 48' of the housing. The terminal-supporting members 23 are preferably secured to the housing, in my preferred method of assembly, after the carrier-supporting member 28 has been assembled within the housing due to the fact that otherwise the legs 24 of the terminal-supporting members 23 in the preferred switch construction illustrated and described would offer resistance against entrance of the carrier-supportin member. Finally the contact terminals l8 are assembled with the terminal-supporting members 23 by the method illustrated and described in my above-mentioned co-pending application. Although the method of assembling the parts of the switch as hereinabove set out is my preferred method, I understand that my preferred order of assembling the parts may be modified slightly, as, for example, by attaching the fastening member 42 to the housing prior to disposal of the contact carrier 22 therewithin and then raising the spring arm :39 of the fastener member to move the stop portion 52 out of the opening 48 whereupon the contact carrier may be assembled 30 within the housing through moving the same through the opening 88, as shown in Fig. 13. The method which I have described for assembling the parts of the switch is very adaptable to high speed assembly and the parts of the switch may be moved into complete working relation in a very short space of time.

Another feature of my present invention is directed to the simple and inexpensive way by which the finally assembled switch, having the nut member 9 secured to the end plate 2, may be secured to the supporting structure H, which may be the dash of an automobile. Thus, first I raise the stop portion 52 of the fastener member through exerting upward pressure on the lip portion 53 and then move the contact carrier 22 as by pressure exerted upon the outermost free end 38 of the actuating shaft 38 through the opening 48 of the fastener member 42 so as to move the free end of the actuatin shaft in the direction of the fastener member 42 a specified distance. Next the switch housing is moved against the inner surface 54 of the support H with the opening in of the nut member 9 in alignment with the opening 54 of the support M. Then from a position opposite the outer surface H of the support, the bushing is moved toward the support to engage the threaded shank 13 with the threaded opening it! of the nut member 8 through the opening 14 of the support. The bushing is threaded into engagement with the nut member through means of a suitable tool (not shown) en gaged within the hexagonal shaft-receiving bore l5 of the bushing. Thus it will be seen that the purpose of withdrawing the shaft 38 by extending the contact carrier 22 through the opening 48 of the fastener member 42 is to enable a tool (not shown) to be inserted within the tool-receiving bore !5 so as to thread the bushing into engagement with the nut member. After the bushing has been turned so as to dispose the flange i2 adjacent the outer surface H of the support ll so as to rigidly secure the switch to the support, pressure is exerted upon the contact carrier 22in the direction of the support so as to move the contact, carrier back into the housin with the actuating shaft 38 extending through the bore I! of the bushing to dispose its free end 38' beyond the outer surface ll of the support, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3. Finally an operating knob (not shown) may be secured to the end 38* of the actuating shaft on the outer side of the support. Thus it will be seen that by my invention the parts of the switch device may be completely assembled in one locality and then shipped to automobile manufacturers where they may be assembled with a proper support without the necessity for any further tool work being done except in connection with threading the bushing into engagement with the nut member 9 carried by the switch, as hereinabove set out.

Furthermore, my improved method of attaching a switch to a support, whereby the actuating shaft is withdrawn to enable a tool to be inserted within the shaft-receiving portion of a bushing, is very desirable in that the peripheral edge of the flange I2 disposed on the exposed surface of the instrument board of an automobile may be of perfect circular outline. As a result I have avoided the unattractive mechanical appearance to an instrument panel effected by the use of bushings providing flanges having peripheral edges of square or hexagonal shape which otherwise would be required for receiving a spanner wrench or the like to thread the bushing into the nut member provided by the switch device.

Although I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby because the scope of my invention is best defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A switch comprising a hollow switch housing having an opening at one side, contact means carried by said housing, a contact carrier reciprocable in said housing, an actuating means extending from said carrier through said housing for reciprocating movement of said carrier, said carrier and actuating means being removable through said opening of said side, and a member assembled with said housing having stop means normally intersecting said opening for limiting passage of said carrier through said opening and movable relative to said member without separation therefrom out of intersecting relation to said opening for permitting passage of said contact carrier through said opening.

2. A switch comprising a hollow switch housing having an opening at one end, contact means carried by said housing, a contact carrier reciprocable in said housing, an actuating shaft extending from said carrier through said housing for reciprocating movement of said carrier, said carrier and actuating shaft being removable through said opening of said end, and a metal member assembled with said housing adjacent said end having said opening, said metal member having an integral spring means normally disposed opposite said opening of said end for limiting passage of said carrier through said opening and said spring means being movable relative to said member out of opposite relation to said opening permitting passage of said contact carrier through said opening.

3. A switch comprising a hollow switch housing having an open end, contact means carried by said housing, a contact carrier reciprocable in said housing, an actuating shaft extending from said carrier through said housing for causing reciprocating movement of said carrier, said carrier and actuating shaft being removable through said open end, and a spring fastener member detachably assembled with said housing, said fastener member having stop means normally disposed opposite said open end for limiting passage of said carrier through said open end and movable relative to said fastener member out of opposite relation to said open and permitting passage of said contact carrier through said opening.

4. A switch comprising a hollow switch housing having an open end, contact means carried by said housing, a contact carrier reciprocable in said housing, an operating shaft extending from said carrier through an opposite end of said housing from said open end for causing reciprocating movement of said carrier, said carrier and operating means being removable through said open end, and a fastener member detachably assembled with said housing, said fastener member having an integral spring arm having a stop means normally disposed opposite said open end for limiting passage of said carrier through said open end and said arm being movable relative to said housing to move said stop means out of said opposite relation to said open end permitting passage of said carrier through said end.

5. A switch comprising a hollow switch housing having an open end, contact" means carried by said housing, a contact carrier reciprocable in said housing, an operating shaft extending from said carrier through an opposite end of said housing from said open end for causing reciprocating movement of said carrier, said carrier and operating shaft being removable through said open end, and a fastener member detachably assembled with said housing, saidfastener having a base portion adjacent said open end, said base portion having an opening disposed in alignment with said open end whereby said contact carrier may be removed therethrough, spaced contractible and expansible spring legs extending in angular relation to said base portion having means in fastener engagement with said housing whereby said fastener member is detachably secured thereto, and a spring arm integral with said fastener member having a stop portion normally disposed opposite said opening in said base for limiting passage of said contact carrier through said base, and said arm being movable independently of said legs to move said stop portion out of said opposite relation to said opening of said base thereby to permit passage of said carrier through said base.

6. A switch comprising a hollow switch housing having an open end, contact means carried by said housing, a contact carrier reciprocable in said housing, an operating shaft extending from said carrier through an opposite end of said housing from said open end for causing reciprocating movement of said carrier, said carrier and operating shaft being removable through said open end, and a fastener member detachably assembled with said housing, said fastener having a base portion adjacent said open end having an opening disposed in alignment with said open end whereby said contact carrier may be removed therethrough, contractible and expansibie spring legs extending in angular relation to said base portion having means in cooperating snap fastener engagement with means provided by said housing whereby said fastener member is detachably secured to said housing, and a spring arm having an attaching portion integrally joined to one of said legs, said attaching portion being disposed normally substantially in the plane of said last-mentioned leg and a stop portion extending angularly from said attaching portion normally disposed opposite said open end of said housing within said opening of said base for limiting passage of said contact carrier through said opening of said base, and said arm being movable independently of the movement of said legs during attachment thereof to said housing to move said stop portion out of said opposite relation to said opening of said base thereby to permit passage of said carrier through said opening.

7. A switch comprising a hollow switch housing having side walls of rectangular cross-sectional outline, said switch having an open end, contact means carried by said housing, a carrier-supporting member disposed within said housing, a contact carrier reciprocably mounted within said housing between said carrier-supporting member and one of said side walls, an operating shaft extending from said carrier through an opposite end of said housing from said open end for causing reciprocating movement of said carrier, said carrier and said carrier-supporting member being removable through said open end, and a clip-like fastener member detachably assembled with said housing, said fastener member comprising a base portion ad- Jacent said open end having a plate portion disposed in alignment with said open end limiting passage of said carrier-supporting member therethrough and an opening disposed in alignment with said open end for passage of said contact carrier therethrough, a pair of contractible and expansible spring legs extending in angular relation to said base portion having mean in cooperating snap fastener engagement with means provided by said housing whereby said fastener member is detachably secured thereto, and a spring arm having an attaching portion integrally joined at one, end to one of said less, said attaching portion being disposed normally substantially in the plane of said last-mentioned leg and a stop portion extending in angular relation to said attaching portion adjacent an opposite end from said end joined to said leg, said stop portion normally disposed opposite said open end of said housing within said opening of said base for limiting passage of said carrier through said opening, and said attaching portion being movable independently of the movement of said legs during attachment thereof to said housing to move said stop portion out of said opposite relation to said opening of said base thereby in permit passage of said contact carrier through said opening.

8. A fastener member comprising a base portion having an opening therein, a pair of legs extending in angular relation to said base por tion for securing said fastener member to another part and said base portion having an integral portion opposite said opening of said base portion and movable relative to said base without separation therefrom out of said opposite relation to said opening to permit passage of a member through said opening.

9. A clip-like fastener member comprising a base portion having an opening therein, a pair of spaced spring legs extending in angular relation to said base portion, said legs being contractible and expansible relative to each other for securing said fastener to a supporting part and integral means normally opposite said opening of said base for limiting passage of a member through said opening, and said means being movable independently of said contraction and expansion of said legs out of said opposite relation to said opening of said base to permit passage of said member therethrough.

10. A clip-like fastener member comprising a base portion having an opening therein, a pair of spaced spring legs extending in angular relation to said base portion, said legs being contractible and expansible relative to each other for securing said fastener to a supporting part, and a yieldable spring arm integral with said fastener and having stop means normally opposite said opening of said base for limiting passage of a member through said opening, said arm being movable independently of said contraction and expansion of said legs to move said stop means out of said opposite relation to said opening of said base to permit passage of said member therethrough.

11. A clip-like fastener member comprising a base portion having an opening therein, a pair of spaced spring legs extending in angular relation to said base portion, said legs being contractible and expansible relative to each other for securing said fastener to a supporting part, and a yieldable spring arm integral with one of said legs, said arm having an attaching portion normally disposed in the plane of said last-mentioned leg and an angularly-extending stop means disposed within said opening of said base portion in the plane of said base portion, said stop means being adapted to limit passage of a member through said opening, said arm being movable independently of said contraction and expansion of said legs to move said stop means out of said opening of said base to permit passage of said member therethrough.

HOWARD J. MURPHY. 

